


Wicked Game

by blueyes_on_fire



Category: Split (2016)
Genre: Angst, Character Development, Dissociative Identity Disorder, Eventual Smut, F/F, F/M, Multi, Past Abuse, Past Rape/Non-con, Romance, Sexual Tension, Slow Build, Trauma, Violence, Will also update as I write
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-19
Updated: 2017-05-24
Packaged: 2018-11-02 16:14:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,245
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10948116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blueyes_on_fire/pseuds/blueyes_on_fire
Summary: Mercedez Galison was a fourth year psych student from the university and wanted the chance to work with the best in the field of psychology. Her wish comes true when she is chosen to be mentored by Dr. Karen Fletcher for a semester. She gets the opportunity to 'study' Dissociative Identity Disorder up close and personal as the slow emergence of a 24th new identity appears in her newfound friend and patient of Dr. Fletcher's.





	1. First Impressions

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first fan fiction I've written for about 8 or 9 years. My apologies if my writing skills are a little rusty.

Mercedez stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror, examining herself before wrapping a towel around her torso. Her skin was damp from her shower, face a little reddened by the heat of the water she stood under just a few minutes ago. Her ocean blue eyes pierced back at her as she tousled with her pixie short platinum hair. She opened the drawer that donned her makeup bag and began to apply a thin dollop of foundation over her face to even out her fair complexion, followed by black mascara to make her eyes pop. She used to wear so much more makeup back in high school, going out of her way with extravagant eyeliner and various colors of eyeshadow. She rolled her eyes at herself. Now that she was in her fourth year of psych class at the university, she came to realize just how much she’s grown up since. At 27 years old she was impressed, albeit proud that she had only 2 more years to go before she could complete her courses with a full doctorate in psychology. Her goal after school was to get into her career choice by 30 years old or sooner, and she will have made it by one year. Smiling at that thought, she put her makeup bag back in its proper spot and brought out her blow dryer to begin on her hair. Drying only took 5 minutes or so with such short hair and it saved her so much time when she was getting ready. Once dried, she applied a finger tip full of hair balm and ran her fingers through her hair for a bedhead look. A little hairspray here and there, with the addition of her turquoise nerd glasses as she calls them and voila, finished. Turning off the bathroom light, she made her way to her bedroom on bare feet, the floor creaking slightly under her weight. Deciding on her outfit didn’t usually take her very long but she was about to job shadow one of the most renowned psychologists in the country, Dr. Karen Fletcher. She’d met her only once before when she did a seminar at the university last year. On top of that, Mercedez read and watched and studied practically all of Dr. Fletcher's work, paying special mind to some of the psychologist’s most revered patients, which of course were left unnamed in her public studies for privacy reasons. She quickly eyed out of her bedroom window, nearly 8 stories up, at the weather and the sun was shining with very little trace of clouds in the sky. Returning to her closet after slipping into her under garments, she pulled out a thin cotton crop top, hazy blue in color with long sleeves. Something that showed no cleavage. The sleeves offered coverage for the tattoo on her upper right arm as well, not that it was inappropriate or anything. Simply a black and white depiction of a female creature resembling an angel. From the middle drawer in her oak hutch she pulled out a pair of acid wash high waist shorts to wear over a pair of black leggings. She was a huge fan of shorts in the Spring and Summer so when she gets the opportunity to don them, she takes it. She slides into all necessary pieces of her outfit and walks over to her full length mirror. _A geek with flair,_ she thought to herself as she smiled at her ensemble so far. _Now for the final touches._ She eyed her collection of ear wear, wondering what sports well with her get-up. Her ears were stretched, the result of her rebellious stage during high school. Nothing too extreme but stretched enough that she couldn’t go back to wearing traditional earrings. She decided on a pair of wooden tunnels with the interior embezzled in turquoise matte glitter, to match her glasses.

She wanted to make a good first impression with her mentor, and the difference in years between Dr. Fletchers and her own generation meant their styles would differ as well. She realized then that she was more concerned with her appearance to Dr. Fletcher than she was with her own understanding of their mutual field of study and how opinions may differ, however that was mainly in part to how much she enjoyed the older woman’s work and she was 99 percent sure they would click instantly. She absent mindedly ran her fingers over the right side of her mid-section, making note of the large scar left behind from a knife wound as well as stitching from a surgery to repair her punctured lung, compliments of her ex-boyfriend 9 years ago when she had just graduated from high school. The scars had faded a bit since then, but they were still fairly raised and dark in color. They were ugly to her at first, but she learned to accept them. The memories remain fresh in her mind even now as she frowns, the suffering it caused her took a toll on her as an individual, yet she refused to be left feeling scared and a victim for the rest of her life. The one main reason she got into psychology in the first place was so she could attempt to understand why she had to go through such a hardship, why he had done to her the things that he did, and how she grew as a person as a result. In the end, she knew herself to be better because of it, stronger and more open-minded. She’d had a boyfriend or two during her school years before the incident, and only one relationship serious enough to even consider a few years afterwards. She was marked, but she was not ruined. Glancing over at her alarm clock on the night stand, she noted that it was now 8:22 am and she grinned. Gleaming with renewed excitement and confidence, she put in her wooden tunnels and swiped on a small dollop of pale rose tinted lip gloss to her lips and proceeded to the door. Slipping on her favorite new pair of black Teisha boots, she grabbed her shoulder bag, car keys, and silver jean jacket and headed out the door. With a click of the deadbolt and quick check of her bag to make sure she had her phone, wallet and notepad, she proceeded down the hallway to the elevator.

 

/////

 

A slight breeze flickered its way through Mercedez’ hair as she exited her older black Lancer. Making her way through the parking lot, she spotted the entrance to Dr. Fletcher’s building and hurried her steps. It only took about 15 minutes to drive over and she was still over 15 minutes early. She waited patiently as she was buzzed into the building. To her left she noticed stairs that spiraled up and around the walls a few stories up. She began her trek up the flights of stairs to the psychologist’s floor, her heart racing anxiously as she neared her destination. She listened to her boots clicking on the marble floors, reverberating off the walls. Once up to the top, she took a single stride towards Dr. Fletcher’s door before she heard an obnoxious creak of a door being opened on her left, gasping audibly as she was startled. An older woman she didn’t recognize peered at her through the opening, the sounds of a game show of some sort floating its way out into the foyer. Taking a deep breath, she greeted the strange woman.

“H-hello. Jeez, you sure startled me,” she chuckled politely as she pushed her glasses a little farther up the bridge of her nose. The woman didn’t respond at first, only tilting her chin up an inch and squinting at Mercedez as she looked her up and down.

“You a new patient of hers?” the older woman had asked drearily, still squinting. “Haven’t seen you around before.” Mercedez furrowed her brow a little and thought that she must be talking about Dr. Fletcher.

“No, I uh… I’m not. I’m a psych student from the university. My name is Mercedez Galison, I’m her new mentee. Going to be job shadowing her for my semester,” she quickly explained, shifting her bag over her shoulder more.

“Huh. Fine. She has odd people come to her,” the lady blurted out rather boldly before motioning with her head towards the only other door on the floor. “Move along then.” The door closed as abruptly as it opened. _Strange woman…_

Gathering her thoughts in order once more, she made her way to Dr. Fletcher’s door and gently knocked on it. She observed the psychologist’s name embroidered on the door in gold lettering, along with her profession, just above the peep hole. A lock sounded and she braced herself. _Here we go!_ This door opened calmly and the older woman on the other side was smiling warmly.

“You must be Mercedez. Come in, come in darling,” Dr. Fletcher gestured with her hand to the inside of her suite. “It is so nice to meet you, dear. I trust you didn’t have any issues finding the complex?”

“No, not at all. I’m pleased to formally meet you as well. You probably don’t remember me, but we had met once before when you did a seminar on DID last year at the university. I have to say, your research and studies were rather riveting!”

She made her way in the door, Dr. Fletcher closing it behind her as she removed her boots and took a pair of flats out from her bag and slipping them on.

“I’m happy to hear you enjoy my work. It’s uplifting knowing that there are young people out there like yourself that are interested in the subject. There is still lots of controversy regarding whether or not DID is in fact a real thing. Here, make yourself at home. Would you like a cup of tea?”

“Yes, please.” Mercedez nodded as her eyes wandered throughout what was both the psychologist’s office for work as well as living quarters. The walls were beige in color. An open kitchen appeared on her left on the farthest side of the suite separated by a large wooden archway with wooden doors which was joined to what she believed was the great room area in the middle, with a green velvet couch and a few wooden chairs opposite that and a large bookshelf to the left side of the wall. She noticed a desk area with a computer, printer, and phone as well. A giant work of art in black and white was displayed on the wall across from the desk. Stacks of neatly coordinated papers and folders had been covering some of the desk. She smiled and began to take notice of all the other paintings and art that adorned the various walls throughout the area of the suite she walked into as she took a seat in one of the chairs surrounding a smaller table. She looked over to the farthest right of the room at a large window with plants displayed in front and took a deep breath. Crossing her legs, she smiled over at Dr. Fletcher as she watched her turn on a kettle. “Your office and living space is quite remarkable. Have you always worked from home?”

“For many years, yes. I find it easier for me to coordinate my work and home life this way. My husband passed away some years ago, and I’m no spring chicken myself anymore. It seemed like the right thing to do.” Dr. Fletcher reached for a box of tea bags out of a cupboard before pausing mid-reach. “Would you prefer a black tea or green tea?”

“I will have a green tea, thank you. It makes the traveling easier for you, then?”

“Oh yes, most if not all of my patients visit me here. Some of the other residents in the building have questioned me about my patients and my work with them but it doesn’t bother me. There have only been few rare occasions where I’ve had to visit a patient elsewhere, usually in dire circumstances.” The kettle whistled loudly before Dr. Fletcher removed it from the element and turned to retrieve two cups from the cupboard above her.

“I see. Other residents…like the woman just down the hall from you?”

Dr. Fletcher chuckled. “I take it you met Ms. Wood on the way up the stairs then?”

“Yes. She threw open her door the minute I reached the top of the steps and asked if I was a patient of yours. She caught me off guard.”

“Ann. Yes, she is quite the character. She certainly doesn’t hesitate to speak her mind when it comes to my patients or profession.” She began to pour water into the tea cups then placed them each on a small saucer on a tray that carried cream and sugar. Adding a bag of green tea to each cup, complete with a spoon, she wandered back over to the sitting area and placed the tray down on the table and began preparing her own cup. “I do hope she didn’t cause you any real concern?”

“Oh no, just made me jump out of my skin a little bit. She seemed pretty harmless otherwise.” Mercedez followed Dr. Fletcher’s action and did the same with her tea, taking a few sips after.

“Well, that’s good. So, Mercedez. I understand that you have specifically requested the task of shadowing me for this semester. Did you have any questions for me before we begin?” She glanced at the watch around her left wrist, noting the time to be 8:59am. “We have a little time, half an hour rather, before my first appointment. I will advise you however that before I begin my sessions with my patients, I will be asking them for permission for you to join in as some may feel uneasy with another face in the room. I have a few severe trauma patients that do not adapt well to sudden changes in environment. It may sound hard to believe, but their wellbeing can be extremely fragile.”

Mercedez nodded and thought graciously for a moment about any questions she may have and only one stood out the most. “I only have one. How do you handle situations where your beliefs and your research are not taken to heart by peers or advisors? I imagine, with how close you must be to your patients, that you feel obligated to protect them and stand up for them. To be their voice. How do you not take it personally?”

“Well….it can be difficult for me at times. As with my patients who suffer from schizophrenia or DID who are skewed by many judgements, the best I can do is stick to my guns and not be oppressed by the ignorance of others. I believe in all of my patients and I understand that it is hard to explain certain aspects and characteristics of these disorders to others who refuse to open their minds to new information. Even with new evidence, people refuse to believe in it because of one simple thing; they just don’t have the capacity to understand. But I keep fighting for my patients with all my heart regardless.” Dr. Fletcher’s face showed a slight happenstance of sorrow as she went on, looking into her tea cup. “When the chairman of the university approached me with this idea of allowing one of their senior students to partake in my workshops and sessions, I had renewed hope that there could be, there MUST be someone else out there that can understand these patients who have suffered trauma and conflict on a daily basis, or who live to deal with the aftermath of it all as they continue on with their life. It couldn’t just be me, with the earth’s population as abundant as it is.”

Mercedez felt an ache in her heart for Dr. Fletcher. She knew exactly of what she was referring to. Mankind in and of itself isn’t ‘kind’ in the least, hasn’t been for a few thousand years. Humans have evolved so much in their time on earth, yet they are still so primitive and violent in their ways and act like a virus that invades and destroys the planet, along with themselves and the neighboring flora and fauna.

“I’m not going to be around forever, certainly for not much longer. At my age, I could have been retired 10 years ago but it pulls on my soul to leave my patients behind. They are my family. Many of them have no one else to go to, at least no one that they instill their full trust in like they do me. I have colleagues, I have peers but they are not the same. They do not all share my beliefs and my ideals for my patients.” She glanced up at Mercedez, setting the saucer and tea cup down and wiping away a single stray tear from her eye as she did so.

“I know I still have so much to learn, Dr. Fletcher. But I want to take away as much information and as much of the experience from this as I can. I’ve been following your work since the day I began at the university and learned of your name.” Leaning over, she put her hand gently on the psychologist’s own weathered hand and squeezed. “Anything and everything I can learn from you I will take to heart. You have my word. As for the permission into your sessions, I understand that 100%.”

The older woman smiled at this and took a deep breath with renewed encouragement. “Thank you, Mercedez. To know that you are willing to give it your all to this career and the people you will inevitably care for as a result is promising.”

A knock on the door suddenly alerted them to the arrival of Dr. Fletcher’s first appointment for the morning. She rose from her chair and walked over to the door, unlocking the deadbolt.

“Good morning, Kate. Come on in.” Dr. Fletcher gestured to her patient as she walked inside, the door closing behind her. Mercedez stood up and held her hands together in front on her, nodding to the new young woman that had entered the room. “Kate, this is Mercedez. She is a student from the university and she will be shadowing me for the next few weeks.” Kate shifted in her spot, fidgeting with the strap from her small backpack. Mercedez took note of the blonde’s obvious discomfort with the idea of having a stranger in the same room during her session.

“I will only partake in the session if you give full permission. I can see that you are uncomfortable with me being here, so if you would like me to leave I will gladly do so.” She smiled at the other girl, who had given a small smile back.

“Yeah I… I really appreciate that. I’m sorry, but it took me a long time to open up to Dr. Fletcher even and I am not great around new people… I uh… I hope you don’t mind,” she replied quietly, glancing down at her shoes.

“Not at all, Kate.” Mercedez adjusted her glasses with a smile before leaning down to pick up her cup of tea and finish the remaining liquid. Setting it back down on the table, she then crossed the threshold to the door and put on her boots. Putting her flats in her bag, she swung it over her shoulder before looking back towards Dr. Fletcher and her patient.

“Your understanding is greatly appreciated, Mercedez. We will be done in about an hours time. I have your number if we finish earlier or later than planned.” Dr. Fletcher opened the door for Mercedez as she nodded and she began her descent down the steps, peeking an eye back over her shoulder at Ms. Wood’s door. No sign of the odd woman. _Thank God._ She had already prepared herself for the possibility that some of Dr. Fletcher’s patients would not be okay with a ‘shrink in training’ in the room. She doesn’t blame them in the least. They have personal issues and fights she knows nothing of, and who knows….maybe they might warm up to her one day and allow her in their sessions. She wouldn’t dwell on the current situation, nor take it personally.

She reached the landing at the bottom of the stairs and pushed open the main door. _Maybe I’ll just go for a nice walk. Surely there has to be a café or something around here._

Thinking once about taking her car instead, she shook her head and decided a walk would be good for her. She’s slowed down with her workouts over the last week, preparing herself for what’s to come while working with Dr. Fletcher. Looking in both directions down the sidewalk, she decided she’d go right and see where that took her. It was only ten minutes until she found herself across the street from a Starbucks, and with a rather large line up at that. She could see the line curling in and around with people desperate to get their caffeine fix for the day, wondering if she should just continue on her way. She furrowed her brows with an ounce of hesitation before she began a fast walk across the street towards the shop. She could smell the coffee and the bakery emanating from the open doors and it smelled pretty good. Her stomach growled at her, reminding her she didn’t eat before she left this morning. She huffed in defeat and approached the line up of people just barely within the doors. Peeking her head in, she glanced around at the many faces inside. Some of them glanced back at her with faces of frustration and bewilderment while others shook their head with a slight smile and she could tell they were thinking themselves crazy for waiting in line. Her stomach growled again and she groaned as she planted herself in line with the rest of the troops. She quickly fiddled with her jacket on her shoulders, hoisting her bag up higher as she did so. When she glanced around again her eyes caught with a set of piercing silvery blue eyes peering at her, belonging to a young man wearing a beanie on his close-shaven head and a tightknit black long-sleeved shirt with thumb holes in the wrists and gray slacks with black boots. His face lit up as he broke their eye contact and glanced around him in all directions. With a smirk, he motioned for her in a ‘come hither’ fashion.

Mercedez cocked her head to the side in confusion, looking behind her to see if he was in fact looking at her or perhaps someone else. Looking back at him, he shook his head softly and spoke to her out loud over the crowd.

“Baby girl, over here!”

Her eyes widened and she felt her cheeks turn warm. _Did he just call me baby girl?_ She was unsure if she should feel flattered or offended. He had said it so smoothly as if he’d known her for forever.

His face softened with an acute grin and raised eyebrows as he pointed to the floor in front of him, and it dawned on her that he was offering her a spot ahead of him. He was much further in the line up than she was, it was tempting. But should she take it? He motioned for her once more, and before she thought too much on whether or not it would be a good idea, she decided she’d be spontaneous and go along with it. She quickly strode over to the strange but seemingly friendly man and smiled wryly at him as she stood in front of him. Some of the other people in the line up voiced out their displeasure at her cutting in the line and she was immediately regretting moving from her place for a moment. The man looked to the crowd behind them.

“Whoa whoa. Take it easy now, folks. She’s with me.”

He signaled to them with his hands in front of him, the typical sign for ‘calm down’ as he raised his eyebrows at them. Turning to face her, he greeted her with a wink and a smile, holding his hand out. She lifted an eyebrow at her new ‘acquaintance’ and took his hand with her own, giving it a respectful shake as she chuckled under her breath. He grasped hers gently in return and leaned in a little closer.

“Well as far as they’re concerned, you are. I’m Barry. Nice to meet you.” He pulled back and let go of her hand, placing his hands into the pockets of his slacks.

“Uhh… Mercedez. It’s nice to meet you as well, Barry. Umm…” She leaned back over to him. “Why did you do that?”

“A simple and kind gesture, is all. I haven’t seen you around here before, and you were at the very ass end of this crazy excuse of a line up. Most of these people here are regulars, myself included. One more person in front of us isn’t the end of the world.” He rolled his eyes then flashed her a mischievous grin as he looked down her form and admiringly at her feet. “I uh... I also wanted to ask you about those fabulous boots you’re wearing. They look like- Oh! The line’s moving up. ‘Bout damn time.”

She was completely caught off guard by that comment at first, not registering to move ahead until he pushed into her a bit to gently urge her forward. Why would he care about her boots? Wondering if this was some sort of a pick-up routine he was trying to befall on her, she acknowledged him with an answer.

“Teisha.”

He appeared thoughtful for a moment before he replied confidently. “Vince Camuto. Am I right? A Canadian designer, I believe.” His eyes sparkled as he looked down at her triumphantly.

“I’m impressed. You know of the designer I take it?”

“Honey, I am a fashion _God_. I know all the latest trends and styles. Pretty sure those boots of yours just came out at the start of the season.”

She giggled at his enthusiasm. He didn’t seem all that bad. The line moved up two people more and now there was only five people between her and the register. She peeked back at the line up and was really beginning to appreciate Barry’s gesture more and more. She’d have been here longer than an hour she guessed, and her stomach felt as though it was going to digest itself soon.

“I have to thank you, Barry. I’d have been here all morning I bet, just by looking at this line up.”

“You are very welcome, sweetie.”

He smiled and lowered his head courteously, the way a gentleman from the late 17th century would do when acknowledging a lady. His endearments were utterly charming to say the least, and she surmised how that must be the way he applied his mannerisms overall. She smiled and swung her bag off her shoulder, reaching in to pull out her phone and check the time. 9:56 am. She sighed in relief, realizing that she should be able to make it back to Dr. Fletcher’s office with ample time left to spare. She put her phone away and instead brought out her wallet. A couple more minutes passed and she finally made it to the counter to order. The attendant looked to her to begin punching in her order once she finished deciding what she wanted.

“Yes, I’ll have an iced skinny latte, large. As well as a 12 grain bagel, toasted, with light cream cheese. Also a cherry cheese danish.” She peered over at Barry quickly, him looking back as he raised an eyebrow with a questioned look. She grabbed him by the wrist gently to tug him towards her side at the counter. “Plus whatever he’s getting.”

He opened his mouth in an attempt to protest but she eyed him back with a look of ‘I insist’. He smiled and held up his hands in front of him. She couldn’t help but think how adorable he was when he did that.

“Alright, alright. As the lady commands. I guess I’ll go with a large cinnamon Dolce latte, a little light on the cinnamon if you don’t mind,” he added with a wink.

The attendant rung up the total. “$15.75, please.” Mercedez pulled out her debit card and waited for the machine prompt to insert her card. _Approved._

Mercedez and Barry maneuvered their way over to the pick-up line to await their order. Putting away her wallet into her bag, she glanced up to see Barry pinning her down with his piercing gaze again, a gentle smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

“Thank you so much, doll. You really didn’t have to.”

“It was the least I could do after you so thoughtfully allowed me to butt ahead of you, and everyone else.” She laughed quietly. “I don’t think I’ve ever butted in a line up before.”

“Well, you know what they say. There’s a first time for everything.”

Mercedez looked to the counter to see that their order had been served up. She passed Barry his latte before retrieving her own food and drink and they made their way out of the shop. The air was cooler outside, the gust cool against her face. She didn’t realize it until the air hit her skin but she was relieved to feel it cooling her down. The inside of that coffee shop was sweltering in comparison, not surprising regarding the amount of bodies that willingly jammed themselves inside.

She placed her purchase on an empty table outside and reached inside of her bag to retrieve her phone once more for the time. It was now 10:11. She decided she should really invest in a watch to wear so she wasn’t so dependant on her phone all the time. She peered up at Barry, who was standing with his drink and watching her rummage through her belongings.

“You need a watch, girl.” He chuckled at knowing what she was looking for and judging by her outfit, she had no decent pockets to utilize whatsoever.

She felt a random blush form. _Great minds think alike,_ she joked inwardly and nodded her head.

“I’ll get one, one day. All the thanks to you in the world, for I will be able to make it back in time for my job shadowing and I don’t have to waste away to nothing waiting for lunch time.”

He cocked his head intriguingly. “Shadowing?”

“Yeah. I’m a psychology student from the university and I’m job shadowing a doctor by the name of Karen Fletcher for my summer semester.”

Barry’s eyes widened as his jaw went slack. Instantly he grinned like a child and a hearty laugh formed in his throat. Mercedez was completely taken aback at his reaction. Unsure of what set him off, she jerked her head up and towards him with a look of ‘what the hell?’

“Haha! Oh goodness, baby girl. I’m sorry. I seem entirely over the top right now but I just….. Holy. Shit. Talk about a small world!” Barry seemed absolutely ecstatic.

“Huh? Why? What did I say?”

“Honey, I believe…” he began, placing his coffee on the table while taking a step towards her and encasing her right hand between both of his. “I believe it to be fate’s hand that I chose to move you ahead of me in that line up. Now don’t freak out or nothing, but I know Dr. Fletcher. Personally. She’s been my doctor for years now.”

She froze for a moment as Barry's words reached her ears, a sudden realization that she had unknowingly run into one of Dr. Fletcher’s patients. She wondered was she was seeing him for. Regardless, she grinned widely at him in return to share his ‘small worldly’ moment.

“Wow…. I-I had no idea. This is just….. Well, that’s terrific.” She instantly wondered if Barry had an appointment with Dr. Fletcher today, a tingling notion of excitement rushing through her as she worked up enough courage to ask. “Are you seeing Dr. Fletcher today?”

He had turned his child-like, toothy grin into a serious smile as he took a step back and straightened up, lifting his sleeve up a bit to check his wrist watch.

“I’m her next appointment, actually. At 10:30.”

“Great! I mean…. I don’t suppose you… do you mind if…… would you mind if I sat in on your session with her today? I completely understand if you don’t feel comfortable with it, though. I mean, we did just meet and we don’t know each other and it probably would seem a little strange.” She felt her heart pumping at such a fast rate as she tried to form her request properly, the pounding in her ears felt so loud she wondered if Barry could hear it too.

“Not at all, honey. In fact, I’d love to have another face in the room. We can totally get to know one another and I’m sure that the…” he trailed off for just a moment as he chose his words. “That the others won’t mind as well.” He held his breath momentarily.

Mercedez noticed the pause in Barry’s voice, and focused on what he meant by ‘the others’. _Could he be talking about...?_

“Others as in.....like other identities?"

He looked around him before leaning towards her and quietly responding. “22 of them.”

Her jaw dropped. _No fucking way..._ “So you have…what? DID?”

He smiled with a slight chuckle as he released the breath he was holding in. “Heh, yeah. I hope that doesn’t bother you or freak you out any? You’re a sharp one, baby girl, to have caught on that fast. Yet I suppose you are learning to become a psychologist so that’s no surprise.”

“That doesn't bother me in the slightest, Barry! I’m quite surprised that you’re as open as you are with me about it, even now when we’ve just met out in public.” She took hold of his hand and squeezed reassuringly, looking him in the eyes with stern sincerity. He seemed to visibly relax at this as he rubbed the back of his neck.

“I don’t normally go out of my way for specific people or to get acquainted with them so fast but I had a feeling about you the moment I saw you and it just… I dunno, it just felt right.”

She laughed audibly in wonder. What are the chances of her actually running into one of Dr. Fletcher’s patients? And one who has DID at that. She was more than excited as she thought about who else resided in this man’s body but forced herself to compose her entirety, to _try_ and maintain her professional backdrop. She released his hand and glanced at her phone for a third time, noting that is was 10:24. She took a long drag of her iced drink and put her bagel and danish into her bag for later. For now, they had to get going back to Dr. Fletcher’s office. Barry picked up on what she was thinking and stretched his arm out in the direction they had to head in.

“Shall we?” dropping his head down again like he had in the shop, grabbing his own drink in his other hand. _Adorable._

Pushing her thoughts aside, she strode forward with purpose towards their destination, Barry following along side her.

Playful banter and chatter ensued on their way back to the building, and Mercedez thought in silence how she had just made a friend out of someone who was one of the most remarkable humans in the world. At least, to her and Dr. Fletcher he was remarkable. And now she was presented with the chance to work with and learn more about this man and his condition. She was grinning ear to ear by the time they made it back. Barry opened the door for her once it buzzed, and her one final thought was that, somehow, this experience was going to change her life forever.

He and the ‘others’ were going to change her life forever.


	2. Meant To Be

Dr. Fletcher was sitting in her chair at her computer, going through her routine emails and working on some documents when she heard a shuffling noise outside her door. Kate had left about 10 minutes ago so she assumed that either Barry or Mercedez we’re making their way up the stairs. She heard a knock on the door and rose up to answer it. Opening the door, she was pleasantly surprised to see the both of them waiting together on the other side, each with a beverage in their hands. Barry smiled his most precious smile at the older woman.

“Look who I bumped into at Starbucks!” he exclaimed, motioning towards Mercedez who stood beside him.

Dr. Fletcher laughed genuinely. “Goodness me, such a small world we live in. I take it the both of you have introduced yourselves to one another then, yes?”

“Absolutely. Barry here was nice enough to let me butt ahead of him in the massive line up at the coffee shop. God, it would have been a very long wait too. Yikes. So I bought him coffee as thanks and here we are.” Mercedez lifted up her drink in the air as though feigning a toast and Barry tapped his cup against it in response.

“To small worlds and new friends!” Barry had said aloud. Mercedez nearly flinched, hushing him before the crazy old bat down the hall opened her door to yell at them to pipe down. Barry chuckled as he rolled his eyes and followed Mercedez through the door into the suite. He could care less about the old hag Ms. Wood. He never liked her much.

Dr. Fletcher however was happy beyond all belief to learn of her long-time patient and new student finding each other outside of an office environment. It was especially good for Barry too, not that he’s an amateur when it comes to meeting people and making friends but the incident that occurred just a few days ago worried the doctor and she wanted Barry to continue to push through it. He’s always been the most social out of the group of identities sharing this one body anyhow. He needed to be strong for the others as well.

Mercedez took off her boots and once more slipped into her flats before wandering in any farther.

“Mercedez dear, you don’t have to take your boots off all the time. I don’t mind if you wear them inside,” the psychologist explained.

“Oh, that’s alright Dr. Fletcher. Force of habit, you could say. My mother was strict when it came to wearing shoes in the house when I was younger. She was determined to keep her precious floors clean at all cost.” She laughed at how well her mother seemingly had trained her. “I was a rebellious little brat in my early years too and it made my mother see red whenever I disobeyed the ‘shoe’ rule. Outdoor shoes were never to be worn past the door mat, and once inside, it was flats or socks. She never even let me get away with bare feet.”

“God, that sounds just like Dennis. Over the top OCD, sweetie. I tell ya, some people come by it _naturally_ ,” Barry retorted with an ounce of annoyance at the end as he took a seat in a chair, crossing his legs. Mercedez looked to Barry at that moment as she followed to sit in the chair across from him.

“Dennis?” she asked inquisitively.

Dr. Fletcher looked at Barry also, she was unaware that Mercedez had already been informed of the man’s condition. “Barry.” She said, cautioning him.

He looked to Mercedez and then to the psychologist, noting the tone she had used. He shook his hands in front of him as he explained his statement.

“Oh! No, don’t worry Dr. Fletcher. She already knows about us. She’s totally cool with it,” he beamed with a smile as he sat up. He glanced over at Mercedez just then, not quite looking for any confirmation from her about her acceptance of his DID but still hoping she truly didn’t mind. “Dennis is one of our identities. He’s known specifically for his… OCD tendencies.”

“Ah! I understand now, yes. That’s extremely fascinating, actually. I’ve read some of your studies Dr. Fletcher, how an individual with DID has multiple personalities that can all vary greatly from each other.”

“Yes, it’s quite remarkable just how different one identity can differ from another. In Barry’s case here, he resides among quite a few different identities and all are truly unique in theirs ways. Very extraordinary.” Dr. Fletcher smiled at Barry, who seemed rather proud this moment. She didn’t sense any discomfort coming from him about being the topic of their current discussion but she figured she’d double check to make sure he was still alright with Mercedez in the room. “I’m assuming you’re okay with another face in the room, Barry? I just don’t want you to feel overwhelmed or uneasy in any way.”

“Oh sure, doctor. We may have just met, but I feel I can trust her. I think she was meant to be here with us, honestly.”

Mercedez felt a ping of joy explode through her veins at that moment. To be accepted so easily by a patient, who she also considered her new friend, was one of the greatest feelings in the world. When it comes to psychology, trust is vital and most coveted when trying to help someone. She couldn’t stop smiling.

“Then I believe we can begin. There is an aura in the room around you two, you’re both very at ease in the other’s presence so I don’t think I have to worry. Mercedez, do you have a notepad and a pen in case you’d like to make notes? Being in your fourth year, I have no doubts that you understand how important notes are when you are working with a patient.”

Mercedez nodded and reached in her bag for the notepad she bought specifically for while working with Dr. Fletcher. She looked to Barry through her glasses for a moment, silently wondering if he would be okay with her taking notes. He nodded his head at her.

“Go for it, honey. I don’t mind.” His smile was as genuine as ever. He seemed to be able to read her like a book, she began to realize. Pulling out the notepad and pen, she crossed her legs and was ready to begin.

“Ready.”

“Wonderful. Well Barry, let’s begin by bringing Mercedez up to speed about Kevin’s condition.”  Barry nodded in agreement, observing Mercedez closely as her eyes widened a little at hearing Kevin’s name.

“Kevin? Is Kevin the… umm...” Mercedez asked, trying to find the proper term.

“He is the original identity, or host, so to speak. The main personality that centers between all of his other identities, or alters as we’ve come to call them.” Dr. Fletcher replied with an earnest smile. “Barry is an alter.”

“I see. And Kevin has a total of 23 identities, including his own?”

Dr. Fletcher nodded.

“The other alters, as well as Kevin, sit in a room on a chair of their own. Barry decides who gets to be in the light, or take consciousness, at any given time.”

Mercedez began writing in her notebook.

“So… does Kevin take the light too?”

Dr. Fletcher looked to Barry to answer this question, which he obliged with an answer.

“Kevin has been sleeping for quite a while now, to tell you the truth. He was abused by his mother when he was just a 3 year old and his dad ended up leaving. Many of us came to exist over time in order to help protect him and guide him as he is pretty fragile and reality can easily overwhelm him. The one person in his life he should have been able to trust, well…. she destroyed him mentally and emotionally. And with the physical abuse to top it all off, it was just too much for him. He was all by himself until we took control. We came into existence as a defense mechanism.”

Mercedez noticed Barry’s eyes darken a little, and she felt her heart drop. She could see the pain written on this man’s face at that moment when he looked away, no doubt with the thought of his sleeping host on his mind.

“I’m so sorry, Barry. To hear what you all had to endure, what…Kevin had to endure. It should never have to be like that for anyone.”

Barry didn’t go into thorough details, but he continued to explain how Kevin was beaten in some of the worst ways by his mother. She was cruel, heartless….practically inhuman in her ways. Dr. Fletcher sat quietly as she observed the younger two, studying their interactions.

Mercedez grimaced inwardly at learning about Kevin’s hardships. The toll it must have taken on him with how his mother treated him.

“The other alters in Kevin’s body….they’re aware of one another, right? Can you all… talk to each other?” Mercedez inquired hesitantly.

“Yeah, that’s right. Sometimes we discuss who gets the light next and then I put them there. We may share one single body but we are each very real and very different. Everyone has their own taste in, well, practically everything. Clothes, foods, hobbies, the list goes on.”

“And are there certain identities that take the light more than others?”

“I suppose I take the light the most, I’m definitely more the social front of the group. Then there’s Jade and Orwell and Heinrich, and a while ago Patricia and Dennis, but I haven’t given the light to the latter two for quite some time now. They can be…..have been a little overbearing.” He rolled his eyes playfully.

Mercedez nodded, her curiosity peaked at the mention of some of the other identities. _So Kevin’s identities span both male and female personalities… interesting._

“What about age? Are their ages all different as well?”

“Yep. Mr. Pritchard is the oldest of all of us. Then there’s Hedwig, he’s the youngest at 9 years old.”

_9 years old? Incredible…_

Mercedez began to write in her notebook once more, adding the new names that Barry had mentioned as her thoughts and speculations barrelled around in her head. Barry watched her fondly, noting how her facial expressions would change as she wrote down whatever it was she was writing down. Had she been someone else entirely he’s pretty sure that he wouldn’t have wanted her in the session, let alone taking notes on him or the others. He almost felt obliged to do so though, since she was under training by Dr. Fletcher through her schooling and that might mean one day, just maybe, Mercedez may be willing to take over once the older psychologist actually retired. He and the others had been so grateful that Dr. Fletcher has stuck around with them as long as she has. No one else seemed to know or even care that they existed. Not until Mercedez. He smiled at that thought as he recalled when he first saw her enter the coffee shop. He could tell she wasn’t from around here, and so he offered a spot in front of him as a gesture of goodwill. Yet there was something else about her, some grander reason as to why their paths crossed. He truly believed it was meant to be. The why, however, would come to the light sooner or later he imagined. For now, he was sure that he and the others would simply enjoy just having a friend. Someone who could know all about them and not judge them or degrade them. Barry sighed quietly. She was the first person he’d ever opened up to aside from Dr. Fletcher. He guessed her aim towards becoming a psychologist helped a great deal in him being so open. People can be cruel but Mercedez didn’t seem like any one of them, and for that Barry was grateful. _“Barry…”_ Maybe she would be able to help Kevin cope with the world as it is now, for if he stays asleep any longer, he will inevitably miss out on living what could have been his life. With so many of them in one body, time is split by more than half for each of them to have the light. They came into existence to support and protect Kevin, but Barry feared that they may be doing him more harm than good. _“Barry…?”_ He was suddenly pulled out of his thoughts. Dr. Fletcher and Mercedez were both looking at him.

“Barry, are you alright?” Dr. Fletcher asked, a hint of worry laced within her words. He shook his head subtly and nodded.

“Yes, sorry. My apologies, ladies. Musta got lost in my head. I am fine, really.” He smiled brightly at both women, shrugging his shoulders as he adjusted himself in his seat. Dr. Fletcher leaned forward in her chair.

“Barry, I believe you. But I’m still a little worried. You looked as though you were questioning something. I’ve seen your face when you ponder over a thought or a situation.  This was something more.”

Barry fidgeted with the fabric of his sleeves covering his wrists.

“Really, Dr. Fletcher. I just zoned out. That’s all.”

Dr. Fletcher nodded, carefully observing the man as she sat back. She could tell he was holding something back. Then something dawned on her. He came to the session empty handed except for a drink. Where was Barry’s sketch book?

“Alright, Barry. I won’t press the matter further, for now. I have one question though.”

Barry lifted his eyebrows, leaning his head to the side ever so slightly.

“Your sketchbook. You don’t have it with you. Where is it?”

He looked at his feet momentarily before answering.

“It’s at home. I…haven’t been feeling very creative, lately. My work has been an utter mess.”

“I believe this is the first time I’ve seen you without it. You’ve always had it on you.”

Mercedez looked inquisitively at Barry, holding eye contact. It didn’t surprise her to learn that he was the artistic type.

“What do you draw, Barry?”

He smiled shyly at first before grinning proudly. “Fashion designs.”

Mercedez giggled at this. “Of course you do. I’d love to see them one day if you’re comfortable with showing them to me.”

“I’d love to if you’re interested. I haven’t had much inspiration lately so I haven’t drawn any new ideas but my previous sketches are still pretty current with the trends,” he explained as he waggled his brows up and down.

Mercedez took note of how Barry livened up at the mention of his designs. _One of the things he seems to hold dearest to him,_ she thought. An individual’s hobbies can certainly, on many occasions, tell a lot about themselves as a person. She was brought out of her thoughts when Dr. Fletcher spoke up once more.

“Barry, before the session ends, I just want to ask you once more if you truly are alright. Especially given the incident only a few days ago, I just want to make sure it hasn’t disrupted your home or work life, for you or the other alters.”

_Incident? I wonder what happened…_ Mercedez kept that thought to herself, as it sounded pretty personal. She avoided looking Barry directly in the eye in case he got uncomfortable for any reason. One of the toughest things about this sort of job is trying to help a patient and convincing them that they are safe with her and that their past traumas and experiences would be safe and kept confidential. Barry took a moment to respond, so she fiddled with her pen before looking up.

“I…we’re doing okay, doctor. Honest. What those girls did…I know it was just a dare. A stupid prank. No big deal.” He flashed his brilliant smile at Dr. Fletcher. She watched him and then nodded to him, checking her wrist watch for the time. It was 11:24 already. His session was just about finished, just another few minutes.

“Okay, Barry. We have a few minutes left Mercedez, if you have any questions.”

“No, I don’t. But Barry, I just want to thank you for allowing me into your session time with Dr. Fletcher today. What I have learned today, notes and details, etcetera. All of it stays in this room. You have my word.”

He chuckled just then, running his tongue between his teeth as he eyed Mercedez with amusement. She lifted a brow at him.

“Now what did I say?”

“No, it’s nothing. I just don’t think I’ve heard anyone else ever say etcetera before. Besides Hedwig. He uses that word religiously, almost. It’s his favorite word. Don’t know why he likes it. Just hearing you say it was…really cute.”

She felt her cheeks grow warm at his comment, silently damning how easily she was blushing lately.

He stood up then from his chair, with an outstretched hand offering to assist Mercedez up out of her chair. She took it at once, his hand strong and firm around hers as she too stood up. He threw her a playful wink, one of the things about him she’s come to find endearing and as cute as hell. He released her hand, but kept it in front of him as he formed the gesture for a pinky swear.

“Cross your heart and hope to die?” he proceeded, regarding her previous statement.

“Stick a needle in my eye.” She wrapped her pinky finger around his diligently. Her response was confident, provident. She meant every word. Her promise to him was her bond. _To any and all my future patients_ , she thought silently. Her bond was her code of conduct and she would never go back on her word. She was here to learn and to help.

“Well, that’s it for this session then. As always Barry, you know how to reach me if need be. Take care of yourself and the others. I do hope to see some new sketches in the future when you’re feeling up to it,” Dr. Fletcher stated as she too rose from her chair with Barry’s assistance and proceeded to the door.

“Oh umm, hey doc. Do you have a piece of paper I could steal? And a pen?”

The older woman looked back at Barry. “Of course, there’s a blank notepad on the table there.”

Barry turned to the side and leaned down, ripping off a small piece of paper and looking for a pen.

“And a pe—...” he was halted part way through as Mercedez held her pen out for him to use.

“Ah! Just what I needed. Thanks, sweetheart.”

He quickly wrote on the piece he tore off, handing it then to Mercedez along with her pen. She looked down at the scribble of his writing and realized it was a phone number. She looked back up at Barry, who gestured with his hands in front of him as he gave her his signature grin.

“Just in case you wanted to hang out or….whatever. Ya know, outside of school time slash work time.”

“Thanks, Barry. I’ll text you later then with my number.” Mercedez smiled back in earnest as Barry made his way to the door.

“Later, Dr. Fletcher!”

“Will see you next week, Barry.”

He strode down the hall and turned to wave back at them before heading down the stairs with a skip in his step. Dr. Fletcher closed her door and turned back to Mercedez.

“Well, I would say that happened to have gone very well. Barry seems to have really taken a liking to you, Mercedez. I’m quite pleased that he’s still keeping his social prowess around others.”

“You say this because of what happened a few days ago? I wasn’t going to ask since it’s not my business.”

Dr. Fletcher made her way back over to her chair, taking a seat once more.

“I’ll explain what happened, as you will inevitably come face to face with similar problems in your own practice in the future. Unfortunately, he was the target of a very cruel prank by two younger girls who decided it would be funny to approach him then grab his hand and place it upon their breasts underneath their shirts. They ran off right after. It was blatantly unnecessary and childish, what they did. Not to mention embarrassing for Barry and putting him in an uncomfortable situation. They don’t realize the adverse effects stupid little pranks like that can cause on someone, let alone someone with a psychological disorder. It’s absurd.”

Mercedez’ mouth dropped slightly at hearing about Barry’s incident. She felt anger and frustration at those two girls for what they did just then, and it startled her. The emotions seemed to boil within her. They had no idea how much they could have seriously hurt Barry, or damaged him further mentally. Not only was the act indecent, but what kind of image did that give him of traditional female behaviour? Mercedez took a mental breath and reminded herself to not take their actions personally. Barry would have no idea who they were, and the act was already done. She just wanted to let Barry know that she was here for him too. It was just so hard not to feel offended on Barry’s behalf. And did the other alters know what happened? Did Kevin know? Surely Barry would have said something to them. She could just imagine the outrage some of the other alters may have felt. She wondered then what it would be like to meet one of the others.

“It’s a shame that pranks like that are considered entertainment nowadays to the younger crowds. Did he have an idea of how old they were?”

Dr. Fletcher shook her head. “No, just that they were at his work on a school field trip so my guess is high school students.”

“That’s just not right. Where does he work?”

“At the Philadelphia zoo. He’s their maintenance supervisor. He’s been there for quite a few years now.”

“I see.”

Mercedez looked thoughtful for a brief moment before spoke again.

“When is your next appointment, Dr. Fletcher?”

“At 12:30. You’re free to stay here for lunch, if you like. Another reason working and living in the same area makes for great convenience. Up to you, my dear.”

“Thanks for the offer but I think I’m going to head out for lunch. I’ll be back shortly and hopefully I can join in on another session with another patient. So far it’s given me great insight as to the workings and procedures of your practice.”

Mercedez wandered over to the door as Dr. Fletcher followed her. Making sure she wasn’t forgetting anything, she put her flats in her bag and turned to the older woman.

“Thank you again for giving me this opportunity to work with you. I think this semester is going to be the perfect tool for me to solidify my intentions on becoming a psychologist.”

“I am happy to have you here with me as well, darling. I believe one hundred percent that you’ve got what it takes to be in this profession and to succeed and thrive in it. We have to look out for our patients, since no one else is willing to. Now go and have a good lunch.”

Mercedez smiled and turned to open the door. Her boots made a familiar click on the flooring as she made her way down the steps and out the front door. The sun was shining brighter now, she held her hand up to her eyes to shield them while pushing her glasses further back on her nose so they stayed in place. She took a breath and proceeded to head back towards her car, reaching into her bag for her keys. Her final thought was that she knew deep down this is what she wanted to do with her life. She also knew that she wanted to help Kevin and Barry and the others, specifically. To get to know them and be an active part of their life, and them in hers. It was such a rare occasion to interact with a single physical person but with a myriad of identities. She wasn’t about to let this opportunity pass her by.

She already had Barry as a friend. Now her aim had been set and her goal was to have him as her own patient when Dr. Fletcher could no longer continue her practice, of course if him and the other identities were interested in working with her. She would carry on Dr. Fletcher’s work, because quite frankly, she just didn’t trust anyone else to.

_Talk about ‘protective’ much, Mercedez._ She rolled her eyes at herself, chuckling out loud as she got into her car.


End file.
